Every parent wants to give their child the best possible start, but between school fees, uniforms, laptops, camps, sport, music, tutoring and uni, the cost of "giving them options" can add up fast and cause financial stress.

In this episode of Wealth Builder, Nick is joined by Marie Lazar from Futurity Investment Group to unpack how families can plan for education costs before they become a major cash flow stress. Because choosing the school is only part of the decision, the bigger question is how you are going to fund it in a way that still works for the rest of your financial life.

They talk through the real cost of education in Australia, why the extras are often what catch families off guard, and how different funding options compare, from savings accounts and offset accounts to share portfolios, family gifts and education bonds. You'll also hear how education bonds work, who they may suit, and why they can be worth considering as part of a broader wealth-building plan.

In this episode:

• How much education could really cost from primary school through to year 12

• The hidden extras many families forget to plan for

• Why planning early can give parents and grandparents more options later

• How education bonds work and what makes them different

• The key trade-offs between savings, offsets, investments and education bonds

• What to think about before choosing the right strategy for your family

This episode is for parents and grandparents who want to help fund a child's future without the last-minute scramble to make it work financially

READY TO SORT YOUR FINANCES AND BUILD WEALTH WITH A CLEAR PLAN? Wealth Builder is our specialised 12-month financial advice program for people in their 30s and 40s. You can learn more about it here. WANT TO STAY ACROSS WHAT'S MOVING THE MARKETS?: Subscribe to GainingCHOICE, our weekly email unpacking the key headlines and what to pay attention to.

GOT A FINANCE QUESTION FOR PAUL?: Send it to [email protected], and it could be featured in his Ask an Expert column each Sunday in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.

You can also find all our links here.

You were told an investment property was one of the safest ways to build wealth. But what happens when one of the key tax benefits that made the numbers work is taken away?

In this episode, we look at the impact of the changes to negative gearing rules and what they could mean for Australians who have been relying on property as part of their wealth-building strategy. We also look at 5 different options investors have now, and what to consider before deciding where your money should go next.

Because building wealth is still absolutely possible, but the best path forward may look different to the one many Australians expected.

In this episode:

• Why some investment properties may be harder to justify under the new rules

• The 5 wealth-building options investors may need to look at next

• Hidden risks in simply swapping one strategy for another

• Why superannuation could become one of the biggest winners from the change

• What to understand before you make your next big investment decision

WANT PERSONALISED FINANCIAL ADVICE: If the negative gearing changes have you rethinking investment property, super, shares or where to build wealth next, personalised advice can help you work out what makes sense for your situation. Book an appointment here. WANT TO STAY ACROSS WHAT'S MOVING THE MARKETS?: Subscribe to GainingCHOICE, our weekly email unpacking the key headlines and what to pay attention to.

GOT A FINANCE QUESTION FOR PAUL?: Send it to [email protected], and it could be featured in his Ask an Expert column each Sunday in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.

General advice disclaimer

Think financial advice is something you get when you're older, wealthier, or closer to retirement? That mindset could be costing you far more than you realise.

Because when it comes to building wealth, when you start can matter more than how much you start with.

In this episode, Nick is joined by Paul Benson to unpack why your 30s and 40s can be such a powerful window for getting advice. It's the time to make decisions that can compound, course correct, and create more choice later. But this is not just one for younger listeners. If you are in your 50s, 60s or beyond, there are still valuable takeaways here, especially if you are wondering whether your super, investments, insurance, structures or old money habits still make sense for where you are now. Inside the episode:

How to know whether your money is actually working hard enough Why "I'll sort it out later" can become one of your most expensive financial habits Why getting advice early could make a six-figure difference by retirement Why earning good money does not always mean you are building wealth One setting that could turbocharge your superannuation What to review now if you feel like you started too late WANT PERSONALISED FINANCIAL ADVICE?: Book an appointment here. WANT TO STAY ACROSS WHAT'S MOVING THE MARKETS?: Subscribe to GainingCHOICE, our weekly email unpacking the key headlines and what to pay attention to.

GOT A FINANCE QUESTION FOR PAUL?: Send it to [email protected], and it could be featured in his Ask an Expert column each Sunday in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.

General advice disclaimer

Retirement should feel like freedom, not a series of expensive surprises you wish you had seen coming.

Before you finish work, you want to know the plan is ready for real life. Where will your income come from? Is your budget still enough? What happens if markets fall? And have your goals changed since you first started planning?

In this episode, Paul walks through the final checks to make before you retire, so you can step into the next chapter with more confidence, less second-guessing, and a plan that is built for what life actually looks like after work

In this episode:

• What needs to be clear before your pay cheque stops

• Why your retirement budget might not survive real life

• How to avoid selling investments when markets are down

• The plan you may need to update before it is too late

• What to organise before work stops structuring your week

• The retirement regret you want to catch while there is still time

FOR PERSONALISED RETIREMENT PLANNING ADVICE: Book an appointment here. WANT TO STAY ACROSS WHAT'S MOVING THE MARKETS?: Subscribe to GainingCHOICE, our weekly email unpacking the key headlines and what to pay attention to.

GOT A FINANCE QUESTION FOR PAUL?: Send it to [email protected], and it could be featured in his Ask an Expert column each Sunday in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.

General advice disclaimer

June 30 is one of those dates that creeps up, and suddenly everyone is asking the same thing.

Have I missed something?

Could I have done something smarter with my super? Is there a tax deduction I should know about? Did I leave it too late? And why does EOFY always make your money feel more complicated than it needs to be?

In this episode, financial adviser Nick Donato is joined by Brendan from the Guidance team to talk through the EOFY checks that are actually worth your attention before the deadline hits.

Because the only thing worse than dealing with EOFY admin is realising in July that there was something useful you could have done. So, this episode gives you a clear list of what to check, what to ask about, and what might still be worth looking at before June 30.

Inside this episode:

• The super rules people often misunderstand • The tax deduction opportunity that is not just salary sacrifice • Why June 30 can be too late if your fund does not receive the money in time • How catch up contributions may help if you have had a bigger tax year • The spouse contribution and co contribution rules worth knowing • The SMSF checks you do not want to leave too late • Why EOFY is a smart time to review your portfolio, insurance and beneficiaries • What family trust holders and business owners should be asking their accountant

WANT ADVICE ON HOW THIS WILL AFFECT YOUR FINANCES? Book an appointment here. WANT TO STAY ACROSS WHAT'S MOVING THE MARKETS?: Subscribe to GainingCHOICE, our weekly email unpacking the key headlines and what to pay attention to.

GOT A FINANCE QUESTION FOR PAUL?: Send it to [email protected], and it could be featured in his Ask an Expert column each Sunday in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.

General advice disclaimer

The retirement mistakes that cost people most are often made before they leave work, when there is still time to fix them, and have real consequences if they don't.

Because this is not just about whether you can afford to retire. It is about whether you can afford the retirement you have been picturing; the travel, the flexibility, the choice to help your kids, stay in your home, or stop worrying every time markets fall.

In this episode, Paul breaks down the five things to get clear on before you retire, so you can spot the gaps while there is still time to act, make the decisions that could strengthen your position, and avoid walking into retirement only to realise the plan was shakier than you thought

In this episode:

• How to know whether your retirement plan actually stacks up, before it's too late

• The financial shock that can hit harder close to retirement

• Why the last few working years could be some of the most valuable of your life

• The super opportunity you might not want to waste

• How your home could shape your retirement income, whether you stay or downsize

• The big question to get clear on before you retire

FOR PERSONALISED RETIREMENT PLANNING ADVICE: Book an appointment with Paul here. WANT TO STAY ACROSS WHAT'S MOVING THE MARKETS?: Subscribe to GainingCHOICE, our weekly email unpacking the key headlines and what to pay attention to.

GOT A FINANCE QUESTION FOR PAUL?: Send it to [email protected], and it could be featured in his Ask an Expert column each Sunday in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.

General advice disclaimer

The 2026 Federal Budget could change the way many Australians invest, buy property and reduce tax.

The big headline isn't the $250 tax offset. It's the proposed reforms to capital gains tax, negative gearing and family trusts. If they become law, they could mean a higher tax bill when you sell an investment, fewer tax benefits for future property investors, and a major shake up for people using trusts to manage family wealth.

In this episode, Nick breaks down the biggest tax changes announced in the Budget, explains who they could affect, and walks through the details that matter before the commentary and political noise take over.

Inside this episode:

• The tax break for workers, and when you'd actually see it

• The proposed capital gains tax change that could affect property, shares and ETFs

• Why selling an investment in a low income year may no longer work the same way

• What the Budget could mean for negative gearing and future property purchases

• The family trust change that some households and business owners need to pay attention to

• The key dates, grey areas and unanswered questions still hanging over these proposals

If you invest, own property, use a trust, or are planning your next money move, you need to listen to this episode. WANT ADVICE ON HOW THIS WILL AFFECT YOUR FINANCES? Book an appointment here. WANT TO STAY ACROSS WHAT'S MOVING THE MARKETS?: Subscribe to GainingCHOICE, our weekly email unpacking the key headlines and what to pay attention to.

GOT A FINANCE QUESTION FOR PAUL?: Send it to [email protected], and it could be featured in his Ask an Expert column each Sunday in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.

General advice disclaimer

The most expensive retirement mistakes often happen 10 years before you actually retire. You still have time to make meaningful changes, but every choice starts to carry more weight.

So, where should you put your money to put yourself in the best position for retirement? Into your mortgage, so you can retire debt free? Into super, so you can take advantage of the tax benefits? Into investments outside super, so you still have flexibility if work ends earlier than planned?

In the first episode of this three-part retirement planning series, Paul breaks down what to focus on when retirement is around a decade away. He covers the decisions that can have the biggest impact on your final position, including how much you want to spend, whether your home still makes sense, why getting too conservative too early can be expensive, and how to review insurance before it quietly eats into your retirement savings.

Inside this episode:

• The mortgage versus super decision, and why the answer is rarely one size fits all • Why getting too conservative too early could cost you hundreds of thousands • How to work out what kind of retirement you are actually trying to fund • Why being debt free before retirement is usually the goal • How to balance super's tax benefits with access and flexibility • The insurance costs that may be quietly dragging on your super • What to focus on now so you are not scrambling later

WANT TO KNOW IF YOU'RE RETIREMENT READY?| Book an appointment with Paul here. WANT TO STAY ACROSS WHAT'S MOVING THE MARKETS?: Subscribe to GainingCHOICE, our weekly email unpacking the key headlines and what to pay attention to.

GOT A FINANCE QUESTION FOR PAUL?: Send it to [email protected], and it could be featured in his Ask an Expert column each Sunday in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.

General advice disclaimer

Buying a property is one of the biggest financial decisions you'll ever make… and most people don't realise they've made a bad one until after they've signed the contract.

They've done their research, they've checked the suburb, spoken to a broker, maybe even run the numbers. But the things that actually cost people are the things they never knew to think about. Like the structure they didn't think through, the conditions they didn't question, and the small details that turn into expensive problems later. In this episode, Nick is joined by buyer's agent Mel Dennis to break down the full property buying checklist, that helps you spot issues before you commit, understand what you're really buying, and avoid getting caught out after the fact.

You'll walk away knowing what to check at each stage of the process, what most buyers miss, and how to approach your next purchase with a lot more clarity and a lot less guesswork.

Inside this episode:

• Why most property mistakes happen before you even start looking

• The financial and structural decisions that shape everything that follows

• What people forget to factor in beyond the purchase price

• The non negotiables you need to define before inspecting properties

• How to assess a property properly beyond first impressions

• The due diligence checks that can save you from expensive surprises

• What to look for in contracts, conditions, and key dates

• How negotiation is about more than just price

• What you need to know before bidding at auction

• Why your pre settlement inspection is more important than you think

DOWNLOAD THE CHECKLIST: Click here to get the checklist

READY TO SORT YOUR FINANCES?: Book an appointment here. WANT TO STAY ACROSS WHAT'S MOVING THE MARKETS?: Subscribe to GainingCHOICE, our weekly email unpacking the key headlines and what to pay attention to.

GOT A FINANCE QUESTION FOR PAUL?: Send it to [email protected], and it could be featured in his Ask an Expert column each Sunday in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.

General advice disclaimer

You hear inflation talked about like it's the villain of the economy all the time.... but what is inflation actually doing to your own money? Well, it's reducing what your savings can buy. It's eating into your investment returns. And it can leave you years behind where you thought you'd be, without you realising it's happening.

So, in this episode, Paul breaks down exactly how inflation impacts your wealth, where it shows up in your financial life, and how to tell if your current strategy is keeping pace or falling short. Because if your money isn't growing faster than inflation, you're actually going backwards.

In this episode:

• Why your money can be growing and you're still falling behind • The reason your returns don't feel like they're getting you ahead • What inflation is quietly taking from your savings every year • How "playing it safe" could be costing you more than you realise • Why your retirement number might be wrong (and what's throwing it off) • What inflation is really doing to interest rates, markets, and your plan • The quick check to see if your current strategy is actually working

WANT TO STAY ACROSS WHAT'S MOVING THE MARKETS?: Subscribe to GainingCHOICE, our weekly email unpacking the key headlines and what to pay attention to.

GOT A FINANCE QUESTION FOR PAUL?: Send it to [email protected], and it could be featured in his Ask an Expert column each Sunday in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald.

General advice disclaimer